Salt Storm: The Salted Series: Episodes #31-35 by Galvin, Aaron (top 5 books to read TXT) 📗

if you did not partake. The Mother of Masks does not take kindly to strangers who scorn her offerings.

Where is she, then? Kellen asked. Take me to her and I’ll explain my reasoning.

Soon enough, I will, said Phantasos. And you may not like the answer she gives you in turn. The Mother of Masks does not suffer fools.

Kellen hesitated at that. There was a time he would have continued playing her word games, tossing insults back and forth, but he cued on more than a little fear laced in the she-squid’s every word.

At his hesitation, Phantasos again offered up the portion of meat to him.

You have to choose, Kellen thought to himself, the weight of understanding heavy upon him when he recognized that some of the others at the feast had now turned away to focus on him too. You have to choose, he read the hidden message in their stony stares. But the end result will be the same.

Still, Kellen could not bring himself to relent. Again, he looked for Phobetor among the masses. Again, he failed to locate the former companion who had delivered him.

Well? Phantasos asked him. Will you partake . . . or must I tell the Mother of Masks you would reject her offerings?

I would rather you tell me why it’s so important to your mother that I take a bite first, said Kellen. If I were truly a guest of hers, then she wouldn’t care either way.

Phantasos scoffed. Do as you will, then. In the days of old, all were quick to take up an offering of guest rights provided by their host. For only once you had supped beneath their protection were your safety truly assured. Her gazed narrowed in study of him. Or perhaps you think we mean to poison you?

Kellen nodded at her reading his mind. What he did not expect was to see Phantasos take one of the halves that she had portioned and pop the meat into her mouth. Kellen watched with curious intrigue as she took her time in chewing. Finally, she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue for him to see that she had well and truly swallowed the entire bite, rather than try and fool him by hiding a bit under her tongue.

Do you feel better of our intentions now? She asked him. Say rather, that our people have not waited all this time for you to be delivered here, only to murder you now?

Kellen did not know what to say, and so said nothing.

Phantasos chuckled at his reluctancy to speak. No, Kellen Shore-Walker, none of us here in the dark and deep have any want to see your death. She offered the remaining portion of meat for him to eat. Truly, it is only a good and better life we wish for you. Phantasos nodded toward the others still watching him.

The Salt dragon, Phobetor, had rejoined with the other Sancul too. When he and Kellen looked upon one another, Phobetor swam forward to join his sister. Aye, Uncle, he said to Kellen. My sister speaks true. We have no want that anything ill should come your way again. It is only a better life we wish for you and for all of us now that you have come to lead us in the ascendancy.

To rise, then? Kellen asked, reflecting back on Hypnos’s continued message to him.

The she-squid nodded in answer. Our father has been trying to teach you all along by bringing you into his shared dreams. Again, Phantasos offered up the remaining portion of whale meat that her brother had carved off the Ancient beast. But will you heed him and the gift of protection his children offer you?

Protection? Kellen thought. It’s just a hunk of whale meat.

Doubt led to him question otherwise.

It’s not poisoned, he reassured himself when the she-squid’s tentacle brought the meat closer to his lips. It can’t be. You watched all these others eat the whale and she did the same with the other half. All of them are fine, you idiot. Just eat it before they all stop believing in you.

Kellen shut his eyes and obliged the other Sancul, then, the pulpy whale meat both foul-tasting to his human tongue, yet welcomed by a deeper root within him. Cold and raw, he nearly gagged on the blubbery mass no matter much he attempted to chew through it. By the time he swallowed it down, the Salt dragon and his sister had come to swim alongside one another.

They’re twins, Kellen recognized of the Sancul pairing, the likeness in their sharpened features unmistakable with them side-by-side.

Then, their faces began to blur and the surrounding environment began to spin.

A cold tingle had taken root within his belly too. Kellen choked at the immediate frigidness spreading through him as if he had been dunked into an icy tank. His body tensed, wracked with the pain of frozen scorch.

Poison . . . his mind screamed in tandem with the pain. A trick. But how?

Kellen had no time to think on it. For a moment, he thought to make himself retch to rid his body of the poison. No sooner than he reached for his mouth, a tentacle shot forward and encircled his wrist, preventing him from the act. Kellen followed the source to its owner. Lunging forward, he reached for Phobetor. Help . . . he cried out to the Salt dragon. Help me . . .

Aye, Uncle, said the Salt dragon, using his other tentacles to catch and hold Kellen captive. Then, he looked toward Phantasos. Truly, we should help him, sister.

He will be helped soon enough, brother, Phantasos replied.

Let down your guard, at least, then, said Phobetor. Let this former mortal see the Cavern of Somnus as we do . . . aye, and all our guests too.

Phantasos chuckled, then, closing her eyes and raising her arms as if warding off a spell.

As Kellen’s body convulsed at the poison working through him, his captor maneuvered him around to better see.